VIT University, Vellore

VIT University (formerly Vellore Institute of Technology),private coeducational university located in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India is a private educational institution. The university was founded by Mr. G. Viswanathan in 1984 and is currently its chancellor. VIT was affiliated to the University of Madras until 2000. In the year 2001 the institution was conferred the status of deemed university by the Ministry of human resources, Govt. of INDIA. In September 2006, it was renamed as VIT University.

The institute was founded in 1984 as Vellore Engineering College by Mr. G. Viswanathan, a former Member of Parliament and Minister in the Government of Tamil Nadu. The college was then affiliated to the University of Madras and functioned as a private self-financing institution. It was promoted by the North Arcot Educational and Charitable Trust. In 2001, the institute was awarded the deemed university status in recognition of its academic excellence by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India and hence the name was changed to Vellore Institute of Technology. In September 2006, it was renamed as VIT University as per a new decree issued by the University Grants Commission enabling deemed universities to change their name to 'university'.

VIT-U, comprises 6 schools offering 17 undergraduate programs and 28 postgraduate programs. It also offers research programs leading to M. Phil. and Ph. D. degrees.